ExpressJet Airlines (Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson) plans its restart to operations under new ownership in the second half of 2024, initially operating a single B777-200ER on single-entity domestic and international charter flights.
The dormant carrier notified the US Department of Transportation (DOT) of its intent to resume charter air transportation on November 21. ExpressJet is separately undergoing the conversion of its Air Operator's Certificate from Part 121 domestic to Part 121 supplemental authority. It expects to obtain the new AOC by mid-2024.
As previously reported, ExpressJet Airlines plans to restart with a single B777-200ER N771LG (msn 33396) leased from sister company Logistic Air. The 18.3-year-old, ex-JAL - Japan Airlines aircraft will shortly undergo heavy maintenance and cabin refurbishment, although ExpressJet has not revealed its planned seat layout. The airline said it was not planning to engage in scheduled passenger business.
"ExpressJet's management team has decades of experience overseeing successful air carrier and other aviation operations. Under new ownership and with access to more than sufficient capital to support its business plan, ExpressJet will be repositioned as a viable competitor in the US airline industry through its planned widebody charter operations," it said in the DOT notice.
The former regional capacity provider with the world's largest fleet of E145s suspended operations for the first time on September 30, 2020, after United Airlines terminated its capacity purchase agreement. The airline subsequently attempted to restart as an independent regional scheduled operator under the aha! (United States of America) brand, flying out of Reno/Tahoe. The relaunch was unsuccessful and the carrier wound down again in August 2022. The company was acquired by Polaris 8 LLC during the subsequent Chapter 11 restructuring. Polaris 8 also owns Logistic Air and Global SuperTanker Services.
